All runners should add push-ups in their training routines. It's a chest, shoulder, and core exercise that can help you run stronger. How can push-ups help you improve your running performance? It's an upper-body strength exercise that requires core stability, which is essential for runners.

A strong core allows you to keep good posture and running form during your run. Push-ups require full-body control, a skill that translates directly to running.

You can perform push-ups anywhere, with little to no equipment. But what if you can't perform a proper push-up (yet)?

Trainees usually revert to the knee push-up as a regression, but knee push-ups do not engage the core the same way as full push-ups, so it's not as effective of an exercise. Performing knee push-ups makes you better at knee push-ups. You could do them forever and not gain the strength you need to achieve full-body push-ups. They may be appropriate for some people, but I'd recommend that runners work to attain full push-ups by more closely mimicking a full-body push-up in training.

Build Core Stability

Work on building core stability first by performing straight arm plank holds.

With your hands directly under shoulders with straight arms, keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles. Hold your shoulder blades back and down. Don't allow your lower back to sag or your hips to hike. Engage your core while breathing normally. Tuck your tailbone to fully engage your abs. Hold for as long as you can keep good form.

Incline Push-Ups

Incline push-ups mimic the same movement patterns and muscles as a full push-up, but the incline reduces some of the resistance.

Start at a high incline if you need, like a countertop or a railing, and slowly lower the incline as you get stronger.

Try three sets of eight reps at an incline that allows you to perform perfect form push-ups. Repeat three times a week with a rest day between exercises. As you get stronger, increase the reps up to 12 while you stay at this incline. After a couple of weeks, try eight reps at a lower incline, such as a bench, or box, and build to 12 reps as you get stronger at that incline.

Keep building the reps, then lowering the incline at the lower reps, until you can perform a push-up on the floor.

Negative Push-Ups

You can build the strength you need to do push-ups by focusing, at first, on just the negative or eccentric portion of the movement, by lowering your body, even if you can't push back up yet. Slowly lower your body with full control, taking four to five seconds to lower—that's it. Reset in the high plank position and repeat.

Band Assisted Push-Ups

Assisted push-ups can be helpful to learn the movement pattern, to engage the appropriate muscles, and build confidence. Use a resistance band for assistance with the movement. Decrease the resistance of the band over time until you are able to perform without a band.

Try some of these variations in your next workout; challenge yourself to continue to progress by increase reps, sets, or decreasing the assistance. Before you know it, after consistent practice, you'll be performing full push-ups.

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Questions? I’d love to help.

Coach Lea

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